Module 2/Lesson 1 of 6
Safe & Responsible Driving Principles
The foundations of defensive driving: visibility, space and communication.
Knowledge, Skill and Attitude
Driving safely and responsibly draws on three things working together: knowledge, skill and attitude.
Start with knowledge -- you have to understand the traffic laws and the everyday driving practices that keep traffic flowing safely. When people ignore these "rules of the road," collisions follow; it is the leading reason crashes happen.
Federal, provincial and municipal governments all write traffic laws, and police at each of those levels have the authority to enforce them. Penalties for breaking one range from fines to jail time to the loss of your driver's licence.
Important
Avoiding collisions is something every driver shares in. Should another road user do the wrong thing, you can still be held responsible if there was an action you could have taken to prevent the crash.
Be Predictable and Courteous
Keeping traffic flowing safely depends on drivers working together, so you need to be predictable -- behaving the way others on the road expect you to behave.
Being courteous matters just as much. Courteous driving includes:
- Leaving room for other drivers to merge or change lanes
- Avoiding cutting anyone off
- Properly signalling before you turn or change lanes
Defensive (Strategic) Driving
Spotting hazards before they develop -- and then reacting fast and effectively to head them off -- is the heart of what's known as defensive or strategic driving. If you want to practise these skills, collision avoidance courses are available.
Three key ideas form the foundation of defensive driving:
1. Visibility -- See and Be Seen
Stay aware of the traffic ahead of you, behind you and on either side at all times.
- Keep your eyes constantly moving, sweeping the road in front and off to the sides
- Glance at your mirrors roughly every five seconds
- The farther down the road you look, the fewer surprises you'll face -- and you'll have more time to steer clear of hazards
- Help other drivers spot you by using your signal lights whenever they're required
2. Space -- Manage Your Cushion
Controlling the space surrounding your vehicle helps you see and be seen, and it buys you the room and time you need to dodge a collision.
- Keep a cushion of space in front, behind and on each side
- Since the greatest risk of a collision sits ahead of you, hang back and give yourself plenty of room
3. Communication -- Let Others Know
Let the people around you know you're there and what you intend to do:
- At intersections, make eye contact with pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers
- Signal any time you plan to slow down, stop, turn or move into another lane
- When you need to grab someone's attention, sound your horn
Tip
Defensive driving rests on three pillars: Visibility (see and be seen), Space (keep a cushion around your vehicle), and Communication (flag your intentions and make eye contact).
Key takeaways
- Driving safely takes knowledge, skill and attitude together
- You can be held responsible for a crash even when another person erred, provided you could have prevented it
- The pillars of defensive driving are visibility, space and communication
- Scan the road constantly and glance at your mirrors about every 5 seconds
- Keep a cushion of space on every side, and especially in front
- Signal, make eye contact and use your horn to communicate what you're doing